{
  "id": 5552929,
  "title": "How drugs and people became interchangeable for Europe's smuggling gangs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/how-drugs-and-people-became-interchangeable-for-europes-smuggling-5552929",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-04T11:59:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2026/09/04/how-drugs-and-people-became-interchangeable-for-europes-smuggling-gangs/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Criminal gangs in Europe are increasingly engaging in the dual practice of smuggling both people and drugs along smuggling routes, according to a senior police official from Europol's anti-migrant smuggling task force. This dual activity is part of a trend of \"polycriminal organisations\" that are highly adaptable and constantly seeking profit, according to Alina Arucsandei, team leader at the unit.\n\nIn a recent two-year investigation, Europol helped France and Spain dismantle an Algerian criminal gang that generated up to €24 million by trafficking migrants from Algeria. These gangs frequently use the same infrastructure for both smuggling operations, moving irregular migrants into the EU and then, on the return route, transporting drugs into African countries.\n\nMigration has become a major focus in European politics, with national leaders tightening asylum rules and investing in measures to combat undocumented arrivals. Despite a third decline in overall arrivals, high-profile events like the mass arrivals in Ceuta have kept migration at the forefront of European concerns.\n\nEuropol, based in The Hague, Netherlands, supports cross-border investigations through pan-European databases, enabling authorities to identify connections like common suspects across multiple countries. A new task force dedicated to tackling people smuggling in the Western Mediterranean was established in early 2026, focusing on high-value criminal targets.\n\nThe Algeria-Spain route has become increasingly attractive to smugglers due to its lucrative nature. Migrants pay €8,000 to €12,000 each for transport in speedboats that can travel up to 100kph. These vessels, known as narcolanchas, are often used to transport drugs from Europe, such as MDMA and cocaine, back to Algeria. In the recent Europol-supported arrest operation, 78 people were arrested, primarily of Algerian origin, with connections to criminal groups in France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, and Poland.",
  "summary": "Criminal gangs are increasingly switching between drugs and people along smuggling routes to Europe, a senior police official at Europol’s anti-migrant smuggling task force has told The National . The unit recently helped France and Spain after a two-year investigation to bust an Algerian criminal gang that made up to €24 million by smuggling migrants from Algeria. “We are talking about…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "How drugs and people became interchangeable for Europe's smuggling gangs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/how-drugs-and-people-became-interchangeable-for-europes-smuggling",
        "published": "2026-09-04T11:59:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}